California Volleyball Team With Male Player Continues To Dominate Despite Complaints From Female Players, Open Title IX Investigation

A trans-identified male athlete has returned for a second season on Santa Rosa Junior College’s women’s volleyball team despite complaints about his inclusion, which triggered two federal Title IX investigations. With this latest victory, Santa Rosa opens its new campaign with six consecutive wins.

Head coach Ally Sather celebrated her 100th career win at the California college after the Bear Cubs swept both Napa Valley College and Butte College during a September 4 double-header. Ximena Gomez, a trans-identified male player on the team, started against Butte and helped SRJC win 25–14, 25–10 and 25–20, recording five kills, two blocks and 6.5 points.

The team’s Instagram account marked the result with a graphic declaring “100 WINS” and the caption: “100th Career Win for Coach Sather after beating Napa and Butte in convincing style!” Sather has led the program since 2018.

Women’s sports campaigner Beth Bourne branded the coach and program “CHEATERS,” noting that number 20, Gomez, is male.

Last year, Gomez was the subject of a formal complaint brought by three female players who alleged that the college sacrificed their safety, privacy, and playing opportunities in order to keep him on the women’s squad.

Gomez is now listed as a 5ft 10in sophomore middle blocker on the current 18-player roster. He has started all six matches and played in 18 of the team’s 20 sets this season.

According to SRJC’s current player statistics, Gomez has registered 26 kills from 67 attacks, a .209 hitting percentage, 36 points and 14 blocks. His six solo blocks and 14 total blocks are both team highs.

Gomez’ player profile from Santa Rosa.

In the latest victory over Butte, Gomez made five kills from seven attacks with one error for a .571 hitting percentage, the best hitting rate recorded by any SRJC player in that match. The college’s match report praised him for “another efficient performance.”

Santa Rosa is the only unbeaten team in the Big 8 standings, sitting at the top of the overall table with a 6–0 record.

Five of their six victories have come in straight sets. Their only dropped sets were in a 3–2 win over Yuba College on 2nd September, meaning SRJC has won 18 of the 20 sets it has played. The team entered the state’s first 2026 Top 25 poll at number 21 on 31st August, when it was 2–0, and has since added four further wins.

The undefeated start comes one year after Madison Shaw, Gracie Shaw and Brielle Galli filed the original complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights on 3rd September last year. As Reduxx reported at the time, the women accused SRJC, the California Community College Athletic Association and its member colleges of violating Title IX by allowing Gomez to compete in women’s volleyball and use the women’s changing room.

The complaint alleged that Gomez struck then-teammate Kiana Walker in the head with a spike during a 2024 practice, causing a concussion that kept her out for two weeks. It also stated that he hit Gracie Shaw in the face with a spike during practice on August 28 last year..

The three complainants said they refused to compete alongside Gomez and were then deprived of starting positions, playing time and coaching attention. They specifically accused Sather of retaliation after they raised objections with her, athletic director Matt Markovich and the college’s Title IX staff.

On 14th January, the Department of Education announced that its Office for Civil Rights had opened an investigation into SRJC as part of a group of 18 probes into educational institutions accused of permitting male athletes to compete according to gender identity rather than sex.

The following day, a joint Department of Education and Department of Justice Title IX Special Investigations Team opened a separate investigation into 3C2A’s Transgender Participation Policy. The federal announcement explicitly cited allegations that the policy had discriminated against at least three female athletes by allowing a male volleyball player to compete and enter women’s locker facilities during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey called the policy a “stunning indictment of our culture” adding that “women’s sports are for women.”

No public determination or resolution has since been announced in either investigation. SRJC said it was cooperating with the federal investigation and was committed to “accuracy, transparency, and compliance throughout the process.” The college and 3C2A have nevertheless continued to roster and permit Gomez to compete.

The contrast with the complainants is stark. Official 2025 statistics record no match appearances for either Madison or Gracie Shaw. Galli played in six matches and 21 sets, all before conference competition, while Gomez appeared in 15 matches and 46 sets and accumulated 71 kills, 19 blocks and 82.5 points.

Fox News reported in May that Madison had abandoned her plan to transfer to an NCAA volleyball programme, was working three jobs to save for tuition and was exploring opportunities outside sport. Gracie initially continued practising while refusing to play, but ultimately left the team. Galli said the lack of game footage had also damaged her recruitment prospects.

At that point, Galli and Gracie planned to complete another year at junior college. However, none of the three complainants appears on Santa Rosa’s current roster, and Reduxx could find no public record showing that any has joined another college volleyball program. Gomez, meanwhile, remains a starter on the women’s team and its leading blocker.

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